Mértola is a medieval frontier town on the banks of the River Guadiana, near Portugal's border with Spain. It is a place I've wanted to visit for some time, but it is a bit on the remote side, so I had never before got around to it. Not quite as impressive as Óbidos, with which I think it likes to compare itself, but well worth the journey anyway - even if just to listen to the thick Alentejo accents in the Cafe Guadiana. We were here on 5 December 2008. This is a three bracketed image HDR.